Tweet-Twiddle-dee-TWEEEET-tweet-tweet. For bird watchers, this distinctive melodic whistle signals fall migration has truly arrived in inland Southern California on the little wings of white-crowned sparrows from Alaska and Canada.

Following those songbirds and warm, sunny days down from the north are migrating ducks and raptors who are settling in amongst year-round residents – both feathered and fingered. Birders are lacing up their walking shoes and grabbing their binoculars and bird books, ready for a myriad of walks, counts and other bird-related programs this season.

“For beginning birders it’s wonderful because waterfowl – ducks, geese and shorebirds – are easier to differentiate and identify than the smaller songbirds,” said Brad Singer, president of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, in a telephone interview.

“Once they pick up a pair of binoculars and attempt to identify their first birds, you kind of get hooked…. it’s a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning,” Singer said.

His group is leading a beginning bird walk at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Lakeview on Dec. 6.

Wear comfortable closed-toed walking shoes, hats and sunscreen, dress warmly if heading up into the mountains, and bring water, binoculars and a camera, the group suggests on its website. Tours are often canceled if there is rain, so most organizers suggest a call ahead.

Eastern Municipal Water District is offering birding tours at its San Jacinto Wetlands which boasts more than 120 species of birds. The district loans binoculars to those who don’t have their own.

“You come out here and you just feel a sense of peace and calm,” Malea Ortloff, education specialist for the district, said in a telephone interview.

“It’s like a little jewel nestled in our little valley here for the public to visit.”

Whether novice or expert, don’t miss these birds this season:

Bald eagle: Our national bird likes to make appearances in the Inland area this time of year. The forest service conducts counts at several Inland lakes, and one has visited the water district’s wetlands the past two years. “We’re hopeful he’ll come back again,” Ortloff said.

American wigeon: This duck is nearly pink, and has an iridescent green patch on it’s head.

Wood duck: The males of this species are clown-colored in reds and greens and whites with a bright red eye, and “ornate patterns on nearly every feather” according to the Cornell website.

Northern Shoveler: As its name suggests, this medium-sized has an extra large bill.

Canada goose: Though sometimes annoying when they congregate in large numbers in urban parks, in the wild they can be fun to watch. “This past year when the Canada geese left, there was one pair that actually stayed the entire summer and raised their little family,” Ortloff said.

Great and snowy egrets: Though in the area year-round, these large white wading birds are an easy spot for beginning birders out scanning lakes for migrating ducks. To tell them apart: greats are larger, and have a yellow bill and black legs. Snowies are smaller with a black bill and legs and strikingly yellow feet.

Great blue heron: Also year-round residents, these large, stately birds are the gray-blue of a smoggy inland sky.

Red-tailed hawk: Though these large, brown raptors can be found in the inland area year-round, fall/winter migration of individuals from the north bolsters the local population according to Singer. They can be found sitting on telephone poles, in the tops of tall trees and soaring above with the sunlight shining through the brick red of their tails.

A lifelong Inland resident, Jennifer Iyer started working in journalism at The Press-Enterprise in 2000. She has written (and shot photos for) stories on wildflowers, camping with a dog, and many community events, and as a videographer covered wildfires and war games to blimp rides and camel racing from Temecula to Big Bear Lake, Twentynine Palms to Jurupa Valley.